Mad Love (2001) User Reviews

Historical and solid film dealing with jealousy , passions , treason and political intrigues

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 29 September 2014]

This is the historic tale with a politic fight behind , concerning a deep love story who transformed Juana, Queen of Spain, into Juana "The mad" in which Pilar Lopez De Ayala did a powerful interpretation of the nutty queen . Juana is married off by her pious parents , the two famous Catholic kings : intelligent Fernando of Aragon (Héctor Colome) and sensible Isabella of Castille (Susi Sanchez) , to ally Spain , united by their marriage, to the Burgundian and other Habsburg heritage of archduke Maximilian and Maria's son Philip (Daniel Liotti) . As in 1496, Juana De Castilla, daughter of the Catholic Kings, travels to Flandes to marry the Archduke Felipe De Austria, known as 'El Hermoso' or The Handsome . When they meet, it's love at first sight, for her all-consuming, for him one of many happy bed partnerships as she later figures out . Deaths in her family soon make Juana Isabella's heir , but Ferdinand suggests she inherited her grandmother's craziness and supports Philip's ambition to govern instead , which becomes the stakes of political maneuvering in the Cortes and then multiple drama is inevitable . Combined with Philip's relentless infidelity , which includes a Moorish whore-princess (Manuela Arcuri) , and other lovers as the things go awry when Juana uncovers his treason . As mental health Juana starts getting worse and Felipe makes the Burgos Court , nobility-dominated parliament , declare the incurable insanity of Juana and confines her in the monastery of Las Huelgas, proclaiming himself as the king . Finally , Juana is locked at a convent in the city of Tordesillas , Valladolid .

Juana "The mad"concerns a peculiar story of love , lies and jealousy with a political confrontation behind . This interesting as well as intimate story is a passionate retelling and a touching drama , including strong sex scenes . Vicente Aranda also writes the script along with Antonio Larreta based on a story by Manuel Tamayo and being filmed in his usual formal and stylistic scholarship , without leaving a trace the thought-provoking issues , in terms of dramatic and narrative excitement . Extraordinary acting by main star , Pilar Lopez De Ayala , she steals the show at a portentous acting who won several awards . The secondary actors were very intelligent chosen and they all did a marvelous performance . As support cast is frankly magnificent such as Rosana Pastor , Giuliano Gemma , Roberto Álvarez , Eloy Azorín , Guillermo Toledo , Susi Sánchez , Héctor Colome and many others . Original and evocative Music by José Nieto , Vicente Aranda's ordinary . The settings are awesome and the palaces and castles are a right manner to show the life style of those days along with the gowns , royal activities , aristocracy , the Middle Age way of life and mentality of those days . Perfect clothing and costumes by Javier Artiñano . Spotless pictorial cinematography by Paco Femenia , he carries out a photography with juicy atmosphere , being filmed on location in Burgos , Castelo de Guimarães, Portugal El Paular, Madrid, Guimarães, Portugal , Huelva, Andalucía, León, Castilla y León , Sigüenza, Guadalajara,Talamanca del Jarama, Madrid . Cameraman Paco Femenia is deemed to be one of the best Spanish cameraman with a long and prestigious artistic career .

The motion picture was lavishly produced by two great producers , Pedro Costa and Enrique Cerezo ; being professionally directed in his particular style by veteran filmmaker Vicente Aranda . He directed a series of award-winning movies firmly establishing him as one of the best Spanish filmmakers . His usual film editor is own wife , Teresa Font . Vicente is an expert on literary adaptations , he has been working from the 60s with ¨Fata Morgana¨ , Las Crueles¨ , ¨Novia Ensangrentada¨ , ¨Clara es el Precio¨ , among others . His greatest successes were intense dramas with plenty of sex such as ¨Amantes¨, ¨Pasion Turca¨ , ¨Si Dicen Que Cai¨ , ¨Intruso¨ , ¨Tiempo De Silencio¨ , ¨Carmen¨ , along with a delinquency tale : ¨El Lute¨I and II starred by Imanol Arias , his fetish actor and specially this historical story titled ¨Juana La Loca¨.

Other retelling about this known story based on the play by Manuel Tamayo Y Baus are the followings : A silent version (1909) by Ricardo Baños ; the Spanish classic ¨Locura De Amor¨(1948) by Juan De Orduña with Aurora Bautista as Doña Juana , Fernando Rey as Felipe El Hermoso , Sara Montiel as Aldara , Jorge Mistral as Capitán Don Alvar ; a comical rendition titled ¨Juana La Loca De Vez En Cuando¨ by Jose Ramon Larraz with Lola Flores as Reina Isabel I 'La Católica' , Beatriz Elorrieta as Infanta Doña Juana De Castilla , Jaime Morey as Felipe 'El Hermoso' , Manolo Gómez Bur as Cardenal Cisneros and Quique Camoiras as Fray Tomás de Torquemada .

A handsomely executed costume drama.

[chrisjcollins777 · 7/10 · 2 September 2002]

I haven't enjoyed many films from Spain, but "Juana La Loca" (curiously translated by the distributors as "Mad Love" instead of the more appropriate "Joan The Mad") now tops my list of Spanish language films. It may not be an accurate portrayal of historical events (it's pretty safe to say many liberties were taken in that regard), but it's still worth seeing. Think of it as a play loosely based on historical persons as opposed to a bio-pic presentation of their lives.

This is a big, handsome costume drama that evokes Renaissance Spain with gusto, although there's a certain movieness to the look of things: almost everyone is abnormally good looking and everyone's clothes are remarkably clean (Philip, Juana's betrothed, sports a physique that smacks of modern day gyms; it's doubtful that a monarch who doesn't lift a finger would be so chiseled). By contrast, "Shakespeare In Love" captured some of the grubbiness of life during the Renaissance.

The soundtrack is also a bit heavy-handed, with music that occasionally gets a bit obvious.

But overall, this movie attacks its subject matter with relish and intellect. Instead of obligatory sword fights and battle sequences, "Juana La Loca" opts for dialogue that oozes with machinations and intrigue, and a pace that keeps things moving along and the viewer interested.

I give it 7 on a scale of 10.

Revisionistic, but very well acted!

[OldRose · 7/10 · 29 December 2001]

There is no question that director Vicente Aranda has taken considerable liberty with generally accepted history, but despite this and a few flaws within the context of certain scenes, what we have is an excellent story, and one very well recounted and acted.

It will come as absolutely no surprise for those who have seen this film to know that Pilar Lopez de Ayala (as Juana I) and Rosana Pastor (Elvira, Head of Queen´s Household) are nominated in the lead and supporting categories of the Spanish Goya Film Awards, and, despite having been ignored by the Golden Globes, this film should be in contention for Oscar Consideration as Spain´s representation for the "Best Foreign Film" of 2001. Frankly, the performances just mentioned were so stunning, especially Pilar Lopez de Ayala, that I would consider her among nominees for Best Actress at the Oscars, not only given the absolutely pathetic list the Golden Globes presented in the Drama category, but simply because Pilar Lopez de Ayala DESERVES IT, much as did Fernanda Montenegro in the Brazilian masterpiece "Central Do Brazil" just a few years back.

For the historians among the viewing public, my recommendation is to simply look the other way on the bit of revisionism on display, given that far greater crimes have been committed by Hollywood as regards same. The story is excellent, the costumes & design, art direction, cinematography, and above all film editing are simply tops -- and film editing has been a GREAT problem in US films in recent times. Go and see it and I DO MEAN the original version! Rating = 4 stars (of five).

Beautiful setting, shrill movie

[egue1968 · 2 October 2002]

What starts out as a sumptuous setting, with intricate period pieces and soft light cinematography, is quickly tainted by a very poor script. True, Pilar López de Ayala does give an envigorating rendering of this misfortunate queen, but after the first scene, it's all the same shrillness, over and over again. Even though the movie takes place over 10 years, the roles don't mature, either outwardly or inwardly, and the result are wooden characterizations that don't give any depth (or generate interest, for that matter) to the roles. The result is an inane, one-dimensional film that could have easily resembled similar period pieces such as La reine Margot or Elizabeth. Instead, it wallows in its own misery.

Too beautiful for her

[jotix100 · 6/10 · 3 August 2006]

Vicente Aranda and his collaborators took liberties when they decided to base their film on the tragic figure of Juana, a Spanish princess, the daughter of the Catholic Kings of Spain. Leave it to Mr. Aranda's feverish imagination, and he will have the viewer thinking this young woman was a nymphomaniac of epic proportions. Historically this film is incorrect as it's derailed by the sexual context Mr. Aranda gave the movie.

When Juana is sent to Flandes to marry Phillip, little prepared the young and sheltered woman to find a man who was, above all, a womanizer and a libertine, who took his pleasure wherever he could find. He captivates Juana with his good looks and bed manners. In fact, Phillip's nickname was "the handsome", something that comes across in the way this vain man acts throughout his life.

Pilar Lopez Ayala, who plays the leading role, shows some passionate moments in the way she portraits the tragic Juana. Danielle Liotti, is seen as Phillip. Eloy Azorin appears as Alvaro and Giuliano Gemma is DeVeyre, Phillip's right hand man.

Impressive story, lesser execution

[monimm18 · 7/10 · 1 August 2006]

I liked this film, but I think it could have been better. There were three things that, in my opinion, weakened its impact. The first thing was the presence of a narrator. I happen to believe that using a narrator in a film with characters and dialogue, although sometimes justifiable, is many times a sign of script or directing weakness; usually, if both the screenplay and the director are good enough, conveying all the information should be possible (and would be more powerful) without a narrator explaining what's going on.

The second thing that bothered me was the acting. I found it impossible to connect with the characters, however poignant I found their story (OK, Liotti's looks grabbed my attention quite a bit, but I wouldn't chuck that up to talent...). I felt that de Ayala's acting lacked a certain depth and had a narrow range (most of it consisted of numerous infantile fits of rage in between scenes where she eagerly spread her legs). Liotti seemed lifeless, although I was told his voice was dubbed in Spanish, which usually lowers the power of a performance quite a bit (apparently, he originally delivered a lot of his dialogue in Italian).

The third thing that bothered me was the film's (director's?) incapacity of explaining the roots and justification of Juana's mad love for Phillip. Yes, I know it was a powerful combination of lust and emotional dependency, that Juana was a passionate woman and apparently Phillip was quite a fiery lover, but I never felt the characters' passion.

The film focused too little on Juana's personality/character and the way the chemistry between her and Phillip developed. I realized how powerful her passion for him was, but it was only thanks to the dialogue, not to the acting, neither to the filming style (does anyone else think the film needed more close-ups, mostly during highly emotional scenes?). In my opinion, the film scratches the surface emotionally and artistically, but fails to go deep.

Having said all that, let me assure you that, overall I think it's still a film worth seeing, although definitely not for historical accuracy. The story, loosely based on the Spanish queen Juana de Castilla's life, is quite moving, maybe more for those who have experienced the kind of passion that Juana had for Phillip. A woman so passionately in love with her man, so consumed by her love and so anguished by his philandering and growing lack of reciprocity to her love that she becomes obsessed with possesing him and forgets she is a queen and that her first duty is to her people. I was just sorry to see such a passionate love story idea being presented in a bit of a lethargic manner.

Jealousy, You're Crawling All Over Me.

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 15 June 2012]

Is there something special that draws writers to stories that mix royalty with sex? I don't mean contemporary stuff, in which the princess runs off with the chauffeur, but stories like this, historical epics full of billowing robes, stone walls, and someone hidden behind the curtain. Think of the many monarchs with sexual and emotional hang ups -- Mary Queen of Scots, Elizabeth and Essex, Othello who, like the daughter of Isabella and Ferdinand here, loved not wisely but too well. They've all had movies made about them, whereas nobody has ever made a movie about Ethelred the Black or Ethelblack the Red.

An operatic story of Joan of Castile, married as a teen ager to Philip the Archduke of Flanders or something. One of those arranged marriages under dun skies that never clear up. She's sent to Flanders virgo intacta and after a perfunctory ceremony Philip carts her off to bed. She evidently undergoes the transport of St. Teresa and she loves him too. She bears him child after child, never seeming to grow beaten under the strain of her fecundity. She even gets a tickle out of breast feeding the baby, a scandalous act at the time, but why not? It releases the hormone oxytocin which induces a mild high.

Philip is a different story. He's tall, dark, handsome, muscular, and very virile. He has money and power and all the social graces. Other women fall for him immediately. In fact, he resembles me quite a lot. Alas, though, he can't keep his pantalones on and he's soon doing various courtesans and ladies-in-waiting and whatnot, one of them a passionate but duplicitous Moor who tries to put a spell on him. She doesn't need to try very hard.

By this time, Queen Isabella -- she's the one who invested in Columbus -- is dead and Joan becomes in effect the Queen of Spain and Philip is her "consort." Even if you don't know exactly what a consort is, as I don't, it sounds pretty cheap, doesn't it? And who are you? "I am the queen's CONSORT. I consort with the queen, and sometimes she consorts with me when she doesn't have a headache."

The happy couple move to Castile. Philip brings his advisers with him and they suggest that the queen is getting a little too jealous over Philip's peccadilloes and that maybe she's mad and Philip should take over and become ruler of Spain in her place. And, to be frank, Joan is acting a little crazy. She challenges her sexy Moor rival to a sword fight. She has her defenders at court but she evidently doesn't care as much about the throne as she does for her husband. Otherwise, when the parliament accuse her of being mad, why would she say, "Mad? I'm not mad, just terribly hurt." Well, she didn't say it. Groucho Marx did, but you get the idea. She's more angry and anxious about Philip's infidelity than anything else.

Pilar Lopez de Ayala is Joan, the principal figure, and she's convincing as a queen. There's something regal about her looks, chiefly her large ears, I think, and that promontory of a nose. She has fierce, coal-black irises and is quite handsome. I don't know why Philip had to go nosing around elsewhere. It doesn't do either of them any good. Philip dies of plague and Joan is confined for life to a cell, until her oldest child is of age to rule.

There are no momentous battles or duels. It's not a swashbuckler. But the set dressing, wardrobe, and make up seem suitable to the period. It's all rather colorful, though never gaudy. Not under those clouds.

Almost accidentally, the film raises an interesting question: What constitutes insanity -- in a ruler or in anybody else? On the screen she seems more consumed by jealousy, more reckless than nuts. But reckless rulers are hardly unknown.

An esoteric, subtitled, narrow, but richly endowed period drama

[=G= · 7/10 · 3 February 2003]

"Mad Love", as the DVD I rented was entitled, tells the story of Juana or Joan, Queen of Castile Espana (circa early 1500's), who inherited the monarchy at a young age and spent most of the rest of her life in exile from the throne due to madness. The film is an elegant production, rich and sumptuous with a gritty sort of texture, and a story which fails on focus. "Mad Love" muddles fact with fiction and history with histrionics as it portrays Joan as a woman so obsessed with her husband and so jealous of his wanton ways as to make her an impotent ruler. The film fails to develop the political climate of the time, doesn't do justice to the conspiracies against her monarchy, and spends too much time dwelling on her suspicious, jealous, and obsessive nature. Given subtitles and the fact that most have never heard of Joan, "Mad Love" is not likely to find much of an audience in the U.S. (B)

"Mad" or sexually liberated?

[frojavigdis · 9/10 · 1 April 2004]

I can't believe this film has such a low rating. Every time I see it in the video store, I think, "I wish I could erase my memory of it so I could see it again for the first time."

The viewer gets an intimate look at life as a female member of a royal family during the 16th century. Unable to control with whom she spends her life or make basic choices, Juana is confined in a woman's role, yet has sexual passion fit only for men in her time. And possibly still in ours. It is up to the viewer to decide is she is "mad" or simply craves intimacy.

An unpredicable, controversial, and beautifully filmed period film, don't pass this one up.

A queen is driven insane by the loneliness of her position

[Lucyslegacy · 7/10 · 26 November 2006]

I thought the acting in the movie was exemplary. As a history student, anything I can watch that gives me a truer idea, a more "thick" description, of a time period is greatly enjoyable. This movie depicted the loneliness of being a queen, who is trustworthy, who one has great need to trust, and what happens when the only trust one has is betrayed. Although I have some Spanish abilities, I did struggle with this particular version because I think it was less modern, but that too added to the realism. The "insanity" depicted by the queen was questionably insane, which certainly helped the viewer to see those attempting to incarcerate Juana as being particularly duplicitous. I enjoyed this immensely.

A big-budget soap-opera

[Asa_Nisi_Masa2 · 4/10 · 15 April 2005]

Allegedly the "true story" of Juana de Castilla, the eldest daughter of the Catholic Queen Isabella (yes, the same who funded Columbus's expedition), the film charts the progress and degeneration of her morbid obsession with her husband, the Archduke Philip of Austria, known as "The Handsome" (and played in a rather unispired manner by Italian hunk Daniele Liotti, at his most buttery and beefy here). This is a groan-inducingly familiar story of late 15th c., early 16th c. intrigue, betrayal and bodice-ripping. It drips destructive lust from start to finish. But while La Reine Margot succeeds in making cruel sensuality and ruthless, cut-throat intrigue entertaining to watch, Juana La Loca just doesn't pull off. It just ends up feeling like a big-budgeted soap opera, with below-average, lazy or over-keen acting. Liotti looks positively bored and Pilar López de Ayala in the title role – though to be fair she may mature into a proper talent – just seems to be trying too hard, switching back and fourth from two-dimensional horny-looking to spoilt teenage hysterics all the way through. Some of the supporting cast are OK, with the exception of Manuela Arcuri, another Italian pin-up, voluptuous and beautiful but really no "actress" to speak of. I couldn't in fact bring myself to feel any concern towards any character, nor for that matter did I feel strongly in a negative way against any of the supposed villains. What a waste of a substantial film budget! This one, sadly, is just so rhetorical and deja-vu, nodding to other films in the genre rather than to its source material - history - for inspiration. It seems to me that such a fascinating and complex historic era deserved a far superior film-maker to evoke it.

Pilar López is stunningly beautiful

[edjavega · 8/10 · 4 January 2004]

The movie should be seen chiefly for its main actress, the beautiful and talented Pilar López de Ayala. She does the absolute best with what the script gives her.

This should be an entertaining and engrossing film, especially for those interested in Renaissance Europe, but it may be taking just too many liberties with the historical facts. It is highly doubtful that the real Juana became "mad" chiefly out of love for an unfaithful husband, who in this movie is not shown to be particularly interesting anyway. And if the real Juana was anywhere near as beautiful as the actress who plays her, I suppose the real Philip would not have been such a mean husband to her.

Aside from her husband, her father King Fernando of Aragón and most of the Castilian nobles are not depicted too favorably either.

Still, this movie is a good movie if you like costume drama, especially one with a southern European more than an English background.

Terrible, don't lose your time

[javierdelag · 1/10 · 4 January 2002]

Vicente Aranda has made a terrible historical movie. It shows the poor resources of the spanish cinema. In the movie, an irreal script shows Juana just as a ninphomaniac, faced to Felipe, worried only for sex...but sex with others not with her. The technical mistakes begin with the wedding ring that shows Isabel of Castilla -Nobody noticed that?-. Then, the voice in off seems as a documentary, actors and actress in the movie sometimes laughs -take a look to the sequence when Juana arrives to the council which want to keep her isolated-; the castles are almost broken when in the age of the movie they have been recently built, crowds are just "four" people, lights are bad placed...Compared with Amelie Poulain, the french movie for the oscars...it has no sense to speak about a bad movie like Juana la loca.

A sad story wonderfully told

[MacNessa · 10/10 · 18 October 2001]

Prior to seeing this film , the fact that it was in Spanish and in Spain(therefore no English sub-titles), gave me the worrying feeling that I would miss the main outline of the story. Now this would have happened were the film slow and psychological. Fortunately this was not the case. The fim was beautifully shot and acting was incredible. Pliar Lopez as Juana La Loca was so believable. You really should look at the paintings of the period to understand what I mean. But for me the best element was the story. In fact there are two stories. The first the historical one tells of Juana, daughter of Isabel, Queen of Castille(spain)(one of the most important figures in history) who is arranged to be married to Philippe of Flanders, heir to the Holy Roman Empire, which consisted of Germany, Flanders and northern Italy. Here you can see the machinations and the politics which went into the building of the greatest power of its day. Juana's son Charles would later rule most of the world, but that is later. The second story is the personal one. Juana falls totally in love for Philipe and it is such an extreme and jealous love that it reminds me of Catherine in Wuthering Heights. To avoid spoiling I'll leave it at that, but to conclude, this was a really worthwhile film, and I cannot wait to see it in its sub-titled version.

Mad Crazy Loca Joan in a Bad Crazy Historical Drama

[suze072 · 30 May 2005]

If you like overwrought historical dramas, not particularly good ones, I'd say this is the film to watch. We see Joan at the beginning as a young woman who is uncertain of being married for political reasons. After that, I'd say I'm at a lost as to what the hell this woman is doing or feeling. She is called mad several times in the movie over, even before she displays any sort of crazy behavior--so I'm likely to think it was just her fulfilling some prophecies. And when she does, that's the ONLY thing she does in the entire movie except deliver her own babies and spread her legs. Not that that is a bad thing. There is quite a bit of leg-spreading in this film--just little else to see after that. The camera cuts away to some monotonous meeting of parliament or if it lingers, the scene isn't particularly sensual or erotic--just boring and full of business talk.

Some have been saying that she was ahead of her time, being such a sexual woman. I didn't think so. Were she to be empowered by sex and not driven to erratic behavior, I'd say she was ahead of her time. Her husband--played by Daniele Lioti, whose two expressions are "I'm going to rape you" and "I'm going to beat you"--seems to be someone to run away from, not love with a fiery passion. The love scenes between this silly long-haired eye-candy and Joan actually made the audience laugh instead of sympathize. Nuh uh, Vicente Aranda, I don't think so.

Overall, I liked the costumes.

Queen in Heat

[AZINDN · 5/10 · 5 October 2004]

Juana de Loco is a film that questions if love above duty is more natural for a woman than a man. Easily answered if one is Elizabeth I, or Catherine the Great, however, Juana lets her lust for her husband overtake her sense of duty. The film has a rich and sensuous look in staging of 15th century Spanish courtlife, but beyond that, its revisionist take on the historical record is questionable.

Although Queen, Juana is a victim of the males in the court who surround her. Her lack of control permits the manipulation of her husband to have her declared incompetent to rule. An ambitious husband who, although a beauty, is none the less not in the same league as his highborn wife, he strikes a deal with her father, and using her jealousy against her, gets the throne and free rein to bed whomever. Smart guy. He plays the man's game and gets the throne. Juana on the other hand, plays the game according to the rules for women and gets incarcerated for the remainder of her life. Career or love?

Actor de Ayala is competent in her role, but lacks any depth in presentation of emotions beyond a shrewish suspicion. Her emotional response to finding her husband's disloyalty is rage, but as Ayala presents it, she is a 15 yr. old loosing her boyfriend. Ayala's seems also limited by her costar, who is stunning, but vacuous. He never goes beyond a one- dimensional disinterested stare. I'm sure this must mean he is smoldering and sexy, but if this is acting, give me Antonio Bandaras.

True story of "the mad queen of Castile...

[ccmiller1492 · 8/10 · 1 April 2004]

True story of "the mad queen of Castile" focuses on the innocent daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella contracted into marriage with the infamous Hapsburg heir of the Holy Roman Empire. Juana becomes so enamored of her young libertine husband that her jealously makes her emotionally unstable. Between the faithlessness of her husband and the treachery of her unscrupulous father King Ferdinand she is declared mad and forced into incarceration for most of her life. For a clearer understanding of the events leading to this, read Lawrence Schoonover's intriguing biographical novel "The Prisoner of Tordesillas." How ironic that Juana's younger sister Caterina (Katherine of Aragon) was also betrayed by a ruthless philandering husband (Henry VIII of England) and incarcerated unto death.

Without Pilar López de Ayala, it could have been worse; without Daniele Liotti, it could have been better

[khatcher-2 · 5/10 · 4 December 2003]

Based on the stage play `La Locura de Amor' (Teatro del Principe, Madrid, January 12th 1855) by the dramatist Manuel Tamayo y Baus (1829-1898), Vicente Aranda's film `Juana la Loca' ran into several problems even before it appeared in public. The Italian co-producers changed certain parts of the film for the Italian premier, and Aranda had to threaten them with law suits. However, the version we see here in Spain is the original as Aranda conceived it.

The story centres around Juana, eldest daughter of Isabel de Castilla and Fernando de Aragón, historically known as `Los Reyes Católicos', whose youngest sister, Catalina (Catherine of Aragón) was to end up headless following her marriage to Henry VIII, king of England, and mother of Carlos who was to be Carlos I of Spain and V of Germany. As was the habit in those days, her future marriage was arranged so as to unify the odd kingdoms lying around medieval Europe, the same as her progenitors had already done whilst tackling such enterprises as getting that Genovese sailor to hop off across the Atlantic and discover new worlds. Her chosen spouse was Phillipe, crown prince of Flandes and Normandy, otherwise known as `Felipe el Hermoso' (Philip the beautiful), as Spain already had control of most `vlaemink' territory, roughly known as Flandes, today being part of the Netherlands. Unfortunately the future Queen Juana lost her head by falling so hopelessly in love with this goodly hunk of man (played here rather insipidly by Daniele Liotti), that she went crazy as he was always off on such masculine adventures in the arms of other women.

Thus the plot is set for this film. Sumptuously costumed, the film takes us to historical castle and palaces in Sigüenza, Talamanca de Jarama, what I think is the Monastery of `Las Huelgas' in Burgos, and Guimaraes in Portugal, among other carefully chosen spots. What else is carefully chosen remains to be seen. Pilar López de Ayala carries out a very worthy rendering throughout her lengthy and complex reading of the part, the only weak or at best doubtful parts being precisely when she is with her beloved dashing prince: melodramatic moments verging on histrionics. Otherwise her performance is very recommendable, even giving the slightest of hints as to the stage-play origins of this work at times. The rest of the cast is reasonable enough without anyone attracting too much attention, whether on purpose so as to keep the leading actress clearly up front in the limelight, might be debatable.

Whatever, Liotti most definitely was not up to the mark: his playing was somewhat insipid, lacklustre, without feeling. Was the real historical character also left-handed?

Vicente Aranda has never reached me as one of our great directors: if `Tiempo de Silencio' (1986) (qv) is his best film, followed by `La Pasión Turca' (1994), in neither case I found the film totally satisfying in terms of doing justice to the novels on which they are based - by Luis Martín-Santos and Antonio Gala, respectively -, and others of his films like `Celos' or the `Capitán Sánchez' TV series, just simply left me unimpressed.

Added to that, José Nieto, one of Spain's most accomplished film and television composers, seemed to be rather uninspired for `Juana la Loca'. And that is strange, as I would have thought that this kind of film was right up his street. However, as it turns out, his contribution was interspersed with what sounded very much like the Burgos school of organists, such as Antonio de Cabezón, frequent but very hazy suggestions of `La Folia Española', and what I at first identified as something from the Valencian Court musicians and which had me worrying, until the end credits put my unease at rest naming Luys de Milán, important 16th century composer.

Even with the Turkish Belly Dancer thrown in for good measure, this film was missing most of its potential. Perhaps when they do the re-make they will invite Isabel Coixet to do it. Then I might well be the first in the queue at the box-office.

The most touching drama ever seen...

[moon_mirage · 10/10 · 11 February 2006]

10 points from 10 for *Juana la loca*! And if there were 100 points I'd give all 100 for this amazingly beautiful and touching film!

I've read all the comments and couldn't resist leaving here mine. *Juana la loca* is a film for sensitive people whose intellect has gone far than watching trashy actions and shallow soap operas. This Spanish drama makes a viewer use his intellect, it's not an entertaining film - it is too deep and too emotional, and too well-played to be called *soap opera*. Based on real events the film gives us the full description of those beautiful and at the same time sad pages of Spanish history.

Pilar Lopez de Ayala is an unsurpassed young actress! She was so convincing in this role, so touching and so brilliant. She had no such a love tragedy in her own life but she managed to portray it on the screen. As if she had suffered it herself. All her words, especially those cried out in a heavy rain are pierced with pain and desperation. She played so naturally no matter whom - an innocent young girl, a woman in love or a miserable queen driven into madness from jealousy towards her husband. Bravo, Pilar !!!

As for Daniele Liotti, Felipe el Hermoso, he also did great job portraying this monarch. Someone mentioned Antonio Banderas for this part? I'm sorry. I can't even compare these too men. Daniele is the embodiment of man's beauty! When I saw him for the first time it was quite enough for me to understand that PERFECTION DOES EXIST. No one better than him could fit for the part of the king known as *the Handsome*. So, farewell, Banderas. Not this type. Who said Felipe couldn't have such chiseled body as Liotti has? No matter that Felipe was a king, his body would be just the same as shown on the screen. First of all, he led an active way of life - constant hunting and riding a horse.These factors made him look like that. And his acting was appropriate for such a womanizer as Felipe. Great job, Daniele! Giving you 10 points also! And bravo, Vicente Aranda! Beautiful drama!

beautiful

[Vincentiu · 4 September 2014]

an aesthetic delight. a fragile story. decent acting - not extraordinary but useful for suggest. a film of costumes and invitation to discover the real story of Juana. good intentions, a lot of colors and large oasis of ambiguity, influences of soap opera and few scenes who escapes from the sketch status of film. a beautiful movie. not profound, far to be original, but interesting for atmosphere recreation, for the performance of Giuliano Gemma , for hard work to convince of Pilar de Ayala and for the air of old rose. its sin - maybe the not great courage to do a more serious work. but that could be a detail. in fact, a charming image of a Spanish character. not serious, not profound, not extraordinary. only beautiful. and decent.

Pretty piffle

[Markark · 4/10 · 20 September 2003]

What a silly movie. While it looks nice, it doesn't make a lot of sense. On the one hand, the film suggests that Juana's "madness" was that she was just a woman ahead of her time. On the other hand, she has an obsession that is right out of the worst Victorian novel of the wronged woman, and that does seem a sort of mental problem, like Miss Havesham in a castle. This movie is what Elizabeth would have been if Elizabeth had not been able to get past Essex's sexual attraction.

Great Pilar Lopez de Ayala performance

[tr4ffik · 10/10 · 11 February 2002]

One of the best performances in all times. Pilar Lopez de Ayala deserves all prizes in the world for her role as Juana de Castilla. After great roles in BAILAME EL AGUA and BESOS PARA TODOS, she gets improve her registers and offer us with her performance the best at difference in the film.

Brilliant movie touched all bases for me

[SheenaDi · 14 October 2014]

This is not just the historical tale of two royals forced into a marriage for political reasons, it is also the story of a husband and wife with all the failings and successes a marriage can bring.

Juana the daughter of the great Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella is sent to Flanders to marry the dashing Philip, known through out the word as Philip the Handsome. At first glance they fall in lust, that lust turns into love, for Juana at least, but for Philip is the love of power, as with the death of her older siblings Juana is now the heiress to the throne of Spain. It's the story of a jealous, clingy wife madly and deeply in love with her philandering bored husband who is using her as a pawn to get what he wants. The acting is brilliant, especially by the female lead. By the end of the movie you feel so completely attached to her you want her to be happy, you hate Philip and his callousness for destroying her. I watched the movie in Spanish and it was amazing, a second time I watched it with subtitles and can say I understood little more, it is a film that transcends language. If you love epics, if you love history, if you love love stories you must see this movie.

Loco for Juana La Loca

[JLRMovieReviews · 8/10 · 29 March 2010]

Another historical movie? But, this may be one you haven't heard of.

It concerns Juana, daughter of Isabel, Queen of Castille, who is arranged to be married to Philippe of Flanders. The story, though told in flashback, captures you with its intensity of feelings. Ironically, she had an infatuation with a boy her age already (but beneath her station,) whom she had to leave behind. He reciprocated the feelings, but nothing had ever happened.

Once she sees her future husband, she falls in love, as they instantly go to consummate their soon-to-be wedding. She finds out soon after their wedding, though, that he is a womanizer. She tries to hold on to her man throughout the whole film, and it is a struggle. Rather than rely on facts (perhaps their relationship had no important highlights), the movie delves into their lust and make this a very emotional and passionate experience. I did like it very much, as I prefer emotional, moody pieces to distant studies of people. But at some point it feels like "Sex, Lies, and Videotape," as they are in and out of bed constantly.

On the whole, if you get a chance to see it, you'll be glad you did. But, be prepared to see more of their sheets than actual facts.

Excellent for your knowledge of Spanish history

[MultiMediaHouse · 8/10 · 17 June 2002]

Although the viewer might not like the cruelty of the king in matters of being faithful, the movie gives a realistic idea of what life has been like in the 15th century in Spain.